Earl Hines

Pianist / Bandleader / Jazz Musician

Born: 28 December 1903

Died: 22 April 1983

Birthplace: Duquesne, Pennsylvania

Best known as: Influential jazz pianist

Earl "Fatha" Hines played piano in Chicago clubs in the 1920s, first as a soloist and later as a bandleader. He made several recordings with Louis Armstrong in the '20s and '30s, then joined Armstrong again in the late 1940s to tour with the All Stars. He made scores of recordings, including "Stormy Monday Blues" and "Second Balcony Jump," toured the world and made records into the 1970s. Known for his great technique and talent for improvisation, Hines' horn-like phrasing and rhythm influenced popular jazz through the swing era and into bebop.